1 . Years ago, I bought a blouse. That same day, I considered putting it on, but for no particular reason decided not to. That weekend, I again considered wearing the blouse, but the occasion didn’t seem special enough, so again, I passed. Fast forward to today. I have never worn that blouse.
What happened here? Why do people own so many unused possessions, treating them as though they are too special to use? To find out, I ran an experiment in which participants imagined buying a bottle of wine. We had half of the participants imagine considering opening it one night, but deciding not to. Then when we measured how special the wine seemed, and participants intentions to open it later we found that those who had imagined holding off on opening it were in fact less likely to intend to open it later. When asked the reason, most assumed they were waiting for a future occasion to open it a more special occasion.
Why do people fall into this mental trap? Prior research points to a recipe for what psychologists term “specialness spirals”. When you give up using something, if you believe that you are waiting to use it, the possession will start to feel more special. And as you search for the right occasion day after day it becomes more tempting (吸引人的) to hold out for a future occasion. The less you use it, though, the more special it feels, and the cycle continues. Ultimately, the likelihood (可能性) of using the possession becomes rarer and rarer. The more this happens, the more stuff you have lying around.
How can you fight specialness spirals? Try committing in advance to using an item on a specific occasion. When buying a dress, tell yourself you’ll wear it this weekend. Or when purchasing a candle, plan to light it that day. This strategy encourages you to actually enjoy your possessions.
1. Why has the author’s blouse sat unworn for many years?| A．She forgot where it was put. | B．She soon grew to dislike it. |
| C．She had no other clothes to match it. | D．She failed to find a right occasion to wear it. |
| A．Discuss how to deal with the wine. | B．List reasons for drinking the wine. |
| C．Decide whether to drink the wine. | D．Evaluate the quality of the wine. |
| A．They result from an optimistic attitude to the future. |
| B．They help explain the psychology of delayed rewards. |
| C．They can attract people into shopping traps. |
| D．They can lead to a collection of unused stuff. |
| A．To describe a purchase experience. | B．To explain a psychological phenomenon. |
| C．To criticize a wrong consumption concept. | D．To encourage people to prepare for a rainy day. |
1. What did the teacher do to his plants?
| A．He gave them too much attention. |
| B．He never watered them. |
| C．He rarely took care of them. |
| A．The teacher’s plants survived. |
| B．The teacher’s plants were destroyed. |
| C．The baker’s plants were not destroyed. |
| A．Guiding is better than giving. |
| B．No pain, no gain. |
| C．Prevention is better than cure. |
1. Why did the woman come to China?
| A．To take a vacation. | B．To earn school fees. | C．To learn Chinese. |
| A．She speaks Chinese more fluently. |
| B．She depends more on her friends. |
| C．She’s more sure about her future plans. |
| A．Return to her country. | B．Settle down in China. | C．Make some friends. |
1. What does the man say about Mrs. Taylor?
| A．She isn’t very patient. | B．She’s a wise person. | C．She’s strict about exams. |
| A．In America. | B．In France. | C．In Canada. |
| A．For her study. | B．For her work. | C．For her friend. |
5 . While waste within the convenience economy should certainly be solved, it is neither realistic nor sustainable to work towards the complete abandonment of plastics for packaging and other convenience items. Plastics play a crucial role in preserving products both physically and from the effects of water, oxygen and other things. Further, we cannot over-rely on recycling when we consider weak market interest in low-grade materials.
What we need is a strong focus on improving the sustainability of the plastics that we will continue to need. For these plastics, the clear goal should be to stop the use of oil. We must turn to materials based on natural, renewable resources and produce plastics that have minimal impact on the environment after multiple use. Several of these products are already available on the market, but the key to challenging the dominance of oil-based plastics is extending and developing the capacity and range of such products with new material science.
Industrial biotechnology is becoming a cornerstone of the bio-economy. It involves working with natural processes to extend biochemical pathways that can be used in manufacturing (制造业). It has the potential to improve how we manufacture materials and allow us to produce entirely new materials, at the same time protecting the environment and reducing costs.
At Biome Bio-plastics, for example, our industrial biotechnology development programme has already successfully produced bio-based chemicals at sufficient scale (规模) for industrial testing from lignin, the woody material in plants and other renewable carbon sources. Availability of these chemicals could-completely transform the bio-plastics market, creating natural polymers (聚合物) that can compete with oil-based polymers on both cost and functionality. We believe that our product can deliver important changes across the materials industry and provide a critical tool in the fight against plastic pollution.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly focus on concerning plastics?| A．Their source materials. | B．Their vital importance. |
| C．The problems they cause. | D．The methods to abandon them |
| A．They should be eco-friendly. | B．They could be a bit expensive. |
| C．They could be replaced by plant products | D．They should be made from used things. |
| A．The high cost of carbon sources. |
| B．The wide variety of their products. |
| C．The low availability of oil-based polymers. |
| D．The application of industrial biotechnology |
| A．A newspaper journalist. | B．A government officer. |
| C．A company manager. | D．A university researcher |
6 . Does forgiveness go against our human nature? To address this, we need to ask a further question: What makes us human? Simply put, people hold two contrasting views on humanity. The first centers on control and power. In an early paper on forgiveness, Droll (1984) wrote that human nature leans more towards aggression (攻击性) than forgiving allows. Those who forgive are against what they’re built for, much to their harm. He believes that forgivers are risking their own well-being as they show forgiveness to others, who might then take advantage of them.
For the second view, we see respect and love, in the sense of serving others, in the work of Lewis, Amini, and Lannon (2001). They present the scientific argument that we need both to receive love from and offer love to others. From this second viewpoint, forgiveness plays a key role in the overall health of both individuals and communities, both physically and mentally, because one of the outcomes of forgiveness, shown through scientific studies, is the reduction of hatred and the reestablishment of harmony.
Given that control and disrespect can affect a person’s psychological (心理的) and relational well-being, the first approach does not seem workable as a way to live. Given that forgiveness has been shown in numerous studies to increase well-being, it follows that the second approach seems more effective, both from the reasoning of philosophy and the supported theories from social science. Even common sense strongly suggests that the will to power over others does not make for harmonious interactions. Consider, how well has slavery (奴隶制) worked as a way of social harmony?
As an important warning, when we take a Classical Realist philosophical viewpoint, that of Aristotle, we see the difference between possibility and actuality. We are not necessarily born with the ability to forgive, but we have the chance to learn and get better at it. The actuality of forgiving, its actual application in conflict (冲突) situations, grows with certain training.
1. What is Droll’s idea about forgiveness?| A．It is a sign of weakness. |
| B．It is a part of human nature. |
| C．It is a threat to one’s well-being. |
| D．It is a natural response to aggression. |
| A．To blame the unfairness of the system. |
| B．To illustrate the harm from over control. |
| C．To stress the importance of management. |
| D．To promote the idea of harmonious interactions. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Objective. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．Born nature. | B．Social upbringing. |
| C．Learned practice. | D．Outside pressure. |
7 . Recent years have seen a small increase in unemployment rates due to slowing of the economy. The fact that many college graduates are finding it difficult to land a job has sparked online discussions on the cost of education and the returns on it, with many agreeing with the notion that “education is useless”.
Stories like a person with a doctorate’s degree from Zhejiang University is delivering food, and overseas-returned graduates are selling hot-pot ingredients have caused many to question the value of education. Moreover, the fact that about 36,000 fewer candidates have applied to take the postgraduate exam in 2024, the first decline in numbers in years, has also fueled the “education is useless theory.
Is education truly worthless? This question has resurfaced due to several factors.
The wide spread of higher education has significantly increased the number of college graduates, reducing the value of college degrees. As the job market becomes over-crowded with graduates, the scarcity of high-level talents has become apparent, particularly in fields such as the humanities. For example, more than 900 institutions in China offer English major, making it the most common degree program, yet there’s a shortage of top talents who are proficient in English and have a good knowledge about the differences in Chinese and foreign approach to fields such as international relations and journalism.
The declining returns on the investment in education have given rise to the “education is useless” theory. Given the challenging job market, many believe college education does not guarantee any sort of employment, let alone a suitable job. And with various economic opportunities available, the notion that one can become financially successful even without formal education is becoming increasingly acceptable.
In light of these developments, combined efforts need to be made to change the situation. For instance, universities must take measures to integrate education, research and industry, while enhancing cooperation with enterprises through tailored talent training programs. Additionally, the authorities need to pay greater attention to vocational education, an important part of China’s educational system. Students, parents and society, on their part, should abandon their bias against vocational training, because it integrates education with career prospects throughout the learning process, offering targeted, technical and practical training which allows students to master their skills which can get them well-paying jobs in the future.
Developing a correct view of employment and career choice is key to abandoning the notion of “education being useless”. People, especially students, must understand the current employment landscape, their positioning, and strengths and weaknesses. While realizing that a college degree is no longer a ticket to employment, college students should leverage education resources to enrich their professional knowledge and competitiveness. And youths should approach vocational education with an open mind in order to make the most of what the job market has to offer.
Education is not synonymous with earning money, nor does a college degree guarantee financial success. The value of education is knowledge, which we need to make informed decisions not only in our professional life but also in our social and other fields of life.
1. What are the main reasons for the recent rise in the belief that ”education is useless”?| A．Economic slowdown and job scarcity. |
| B．Sad stories about educated individuals. |
| C．Decline in postgraduate exam applicants. |
| D．Emphasis on practical skills over qualifications. |
| A．By focusing solely on academic research. |
| B．By integrating education, research, and industry. |
| C．By ignoring cooperation with enterprises. |
| D．By eliminating vocational education courses. |
| A．limit | B．abandon | C．balance | D．maximize |
| A．Negative and pessimistic | B．Positive and supportive |
| C．Balanced and objective | D．Unclear and ambiguous |
8 . When people respect you, they see you in a very positive light. They admire you for your qualities that can be quite inspirational for people. Respectful people are patient and very calm.
Respectful people listen actively to others.
They are highly empathetic. They put themselves in other people’s shoes. They are considerate of people’s situations. They show kindness and are understanding towards others.
These people communicate in a respectful manner. They are polite even when they disagree with someone. They avoid using critical language and focus on finding common ground with others. They try to find a solution to problems in a very analytical manner.
| A．Inner confidence |
| B．Respectful communication |
| C．They don’t judge people quickly |
| D．This alone will not change the views others have of you |
| E．This is the second feature that makes them well respected among others |
| F．They are fully present at the moment and give their full attention to the speaker |
| G．People can depend on these kinds of people without fearing they will leave them |
9 . Several years ago, a worldwide heavy rain was predicted, but no one got prepared for what was to come. Then, some areas received over 100 mm of rain. Cars and trucks floated down the streets. Whole buildings were swept away. At least 225 people lost their lives, and millions became homeless.
The weather is always changing. Over the past few years, heavy rains have led to floods in many parts of the world. Droughts have taken place in Brazil and Australia. There have been heat waves in Europe which killed thousands. There have been more powerful hurricanes and tornadoes than ever before. In 2017 alone, the financial cost from global weather events was up to 340 billion dollars.
With more wild weather events happening, people couldn’t help asking questions: What is happening with the weather? And why? Is this natural, or our fault? The answer seems to be: a little of both. Wild weather is natural. But most scientists hold the same view that human activity has made the Earth warmer. It is this global warming that makes heat waves more likely. The higher temperatures also result in more water to go into the air, which causes heavier and more frequent rain. Many scientists also believe global warming makes hurricanes and other storms stronger.
This means we’re likely to see more wild weather. “But we don’t have to just stand there and accept it,” says scientist Michael. He and other experts say we need to stop the Earth from getting warmer. We also need to be prepared, to do things that will help save lives.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．A past weather event happened in some areas in the world. |
| B．Some facts are listed about the global warming. |
| C．A number of recent weather events happened over the world. |
| D．Wild weather is partly the result of human activity. |
| A．By giving a lot of examples of recent wild weather events. |
| B．By describing a serious flood that once happened. |
| C．By predicting how the weather will change in a few years. |
| D．By comparing the former wild weather with what happened now |
| A．People can not do anything to prevent wild weather. |
| B．If people stop global warming, the weather will be better. |
| C．It is too late to stop global warming. |
| D．People have to stand by and accept what will happen to us. |
| A．In a tourist brochure | B．In a research paper |
| C．In a science fiction | D．In a nature magazine |
10 . There are some people who are always surrounded by friends, and there are others who are always standing on the outside, looking at the crowd of friends.
1. Be yourself.
Nobody likes a liar.
2. Start with people you know.
Even if you don’t think that you have a lot of friends, you are likely to know a lot of people. Reach out to get in touch with acquaintances and reconnect with old friends you haven’t seen for a long time. Don’t forget about friends of friends.
3. Be open-minded.
4. Be there.
In order to have a good relationship with your friends, you need to be a friend. This means that you need to be there when your friends need you. For example, if one of your friends calls you in the middle of the night crying, don’t hang up.
| A．You may see some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends. |
| B．When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves. |
| C．In fact, if you aren’t yourself, it isn’t you that others are becoming friends with. |
| D．If you don’t know where to start, join a community group or a club. |
| E．He calls you because he considers you to be a friend. |
| F．If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to come out of your shell and start making new friends. |
| G．Don’t go into a situation with a judgmental attitude which will make you less popular. |
